A Week Aboard: 7 Days on a Round-Trip Alaska Cruise from Seattle
The gangway had barely lifted before the pool deck turned into a party. People were doing the electric slide and glasses of sparkling wine were making their way through the crowd, and half the ship was definitely on vacay mode before Seattle had properly started to shrink behind us. My friend Marcie and I stood at the edge of it, watching the skyline go. Months of planning were done, and Alaska was waiting for us.
My most recent one-week Alaska cruise was aboard Holland America’s Eurodam and I want to walk you through what the week actually looked like, day by day, glacier by glacier, and dinner by dinner. This might be helpful for those of you on an Alaska cruise with Holland but also useful for anyone on a similar itinerary.
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Day 1: Welcome Aboard in Seattle
For us, Seattle was an obvious port for our cruise since we both live in the city suburbs. Seattle is a great city and worth arriving early for, it is also a fabulous sports city in case you want to catch a game before your cruise.
We checked in at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, aka Pier 91, which is actually about 3 miles north of the main downtown corridor. This is the terminal that many cruise lines use in the city, Norwegian and Oceania are the two that mostly use the downtown Pier 66 dock.
We arrived around noon and the check-in process took just under an hour before we were on the ship, and our room was even ready. We dropped our bags and had the rest of the afternoon to explore the ship before all aboard. One tip: all aboard time is typically 30 minutes to an hour before sail away, and I recommend arriving earlier so you can settle in before the sail away party.
That dancing and sparkling wine on the pool deck is part of the signature Holland America Sail Away Celebration, something they do at the start of every sailing. They offer Taittinger champagne during the celebration, but it’s an upcharge even with the beverage package.
That evening we had dinner at Tamarind, the ship’s Pan-Asian specialty restaurant, and it turned out to be my favorite meal of the entire cruise. I keep thinking about the wok-seared lobster. If you only book one specialty dinner all week, make it this one, and book it as early as you can since prime dinner slots fill fast on embarkation day. It also has some nice view tables, so request a window table in advance if you can.
Day 2: A Sea Day, Embrace the Slow
Sea days can often be overlooked but it was one of the things I missed most on the Mediterranean cruise I took a couple of years ago. This one gave us time to explore the ship, play a round of trivia, and read a book, which was the perfect way to start a vacation. It’s great for helping you get adjusted to a possible time change, too! One tip: if you want to try the free watercolor session offered by Holland America in the Art Studio, get there at least 30 minutes early. I showed up 5 minutes before, and it was already very full.
The afternoon Royal Dutch Tea on Holland is a fun free activity; however, I highly recommend arriving early if you want to sit on your own. We were a way back in the lineup for entry to the dining room and eventually only had the option to be seated at a 6-person group table, which might be ok, but our group was only given one tower of the sweet and savory bites tied to Holland America’s Dutch roots. Which does not allow each person to select what they want or have multiple treats. It was a bit disappointing, since we could see tables of 2 sitting next to us and they had the same tray serving.
The Captain’s Welcome was on the schedule that evening too, Captain Jeroen Van Donselaar raises a glass to the week ahead, though we skipped that one ourselves. I believe that it’s a quick activity and glasses of wine are provided but I’m not positive. We used this sea day as a perfect opportunity for another specialty dinner night, this time at Canaletto, where I had a delicious pesto pasta dish. Sea days are great days for specialty meals!
Day 3: Juneau, DIY No Excursion
Juneau was our first port, and I’ve visited this port many times and booked excursions, it’s a great port for whale watching, and the most popular port for helicopter glacier and dog sledding trips. Instead of booking a ship excursion this time, I decided to try to do a DIY trip to Mendenhall Glacier, no tour bus, just the public bus and our own two feet.
The public bus plan is completely doable and costs next to nothing, but it is a lot more walking than it looks like on paper, close to 6 miles round trip once you add in the walk to the bus stop, the walk from the bus to the Visitor Center, and the Nugget Falls trail. We were dreading the walk back so much that we ended up booking a taxi instead of retracing our steps. If you want the exact bus routes, fares, and mile-by-mile breakdown, I’m working on a post soon about all the details for how to do a DIY Mendenhall Glacier visit.
Back in town, we still had plenty of time to eat and shop. We visited the whale statue which is a mile from the port. The fountain is broken and was drained so it wasn’t as cool for photos but it’s a great spot to see cruise ships, the fjord, and float plane takeoffs. From the statue, we walked the waterfront trail back towards the cruise ships, past the totem poles to the Hangar shopping center where we grabbed a drink on the patio at Alaska Fish and Chips Company and watched float planes load up their passengers.
Then we headed to Deckhand Dave’s, a popular food truck on S Franklin St and grabbed lunch, which I would happily eat at again. We had the rockfish tacos, famous salmon tots, and a seasonal special of ceviche which was our favorite thing! Definitely recommend eating here when you’re in port although I know most want to splurge for crab at Tracy’s Crab Shack when in Juneau.
Day 4: Glacier Bay in the Morning, Icy Strait Point at Sunset
This is the standout day of the week for most Alaska cruisers, as Glacier Bay is one of the most popular “stops”. Although you don’t actually port/stop in Glacier Bay, it’s a scenic cruising day with National Park rangers coming on board for education.
Early that morning, the bow opened for scenic cruising as we entered Glacier Bay National Park. Tip: you start sailing into the bay early and at the beginning is a prime area for whale activity, so it’s worth getting up early and heading out to the decks to watch for whales. A National Park ranger came aboard to narrate the passage through the bay, pointing out glaciers and wildlife as we went.
Holland America does a great job at Glacier Bay. Not only do they get the most permits to visit the National Park (they’ve been sailing to Alaska the longest, basically the OG Alaska cruise company), but they also open the bow of the ship so you can feel closer to the scenery, and they even serve hot drinks, alcoholic and non, along with their famous Dutch Pea Soup on the bow, when you reach Margerie Glacier at the end.
We left Glacier Bay in the afternoon and arrived at Icy Strait Point by early evening, the restored salmon cannery turned cruise port near Hoonah. Worth knowing before you go: this is a created port built specifically for cruise ships, not a town that grew up on its own, so keep that in mind when you visit. We wandered the cannery shops, and I came home with a Tlingit art print by Jeff Skaflestad that I love. Whale watching is one of the most popular excursions for this port.
We had prebooked the ZipRider cruise excursion ($199 and up). and had the last time slot. It’s the longest zip line of its kind, with views of the mountains and water (and even our cruise ship), but not for those with a fear of heights. We were originally disappointed with our late nighttime slot (8:00 pm) but then we realized that the time would be near sunset, and it was completely perfect. If your ship’s schedule allows it, book a sunset time slot if you can.
Day 5: Sitka, Otters, and an Orange Party
Sitka is a unique port with Russian and Tlingit history. We booked the Sea Otter Quest & Fortress of the Bear excursion with Holland and I’m glad I finally got to see the popular Fortress of the Bear, but the wildlife/otter tour was the real highlight.
We spent the morning at Fortress of the Bear, which does give you a chance to see brown bears but it’s essentially a rescue zoo. I’d likely skip this unless you really want to see a brown bear fairly up close. The highlight for me was our boat tour, which turned out to be one of the better wildlife excursions of the whole trip. We saw grey whales, otters, and sea lions as well as getting a great look at the famous Mount Edgecumbe which is a very dramatic volcano island.
Shopping at Salmon Etc, highly recommend getting some smoked salmon here, and we found the prices cheaper than their store in Ketchikan, Fate Accompli, a cute boutique shop with arts and gifts, and the Russian Christmas Store rounded out the afternoon. Tip: Sitka’s dock is not near downtown, so you will need the free shuttle bus into town. The line moves quickly, but if you are worried about the wait, you can often pre-reserve a shuttle spot ahead of time on larger ships, though some smaller ships dock offshore and tender guests directly into downtown instead.
Back onboard that evening, dinner was a Morimoto by Sea pop-up at Tamarind, built around Chef Morimoto’s fresh fish program. Later came the Orange Party, Holland America’s tribute to Koningsdag, the Dutch king’s birthday and the one day a year the Netherlands turns orange for their royal family. Crew circulate with Dutch bites, bitterballen among them, the crispy fried meatball croquettes that are a national snack in the Netherlands. Expect live music and dancing, and a lot of orange, some people in a simple scarf, others in a full boa and dress. Worth packing at least one orange piece if you want to feel part of it.
Day 6: Ketchikan, Creek Street, and Steak
Ketchikan is one of the most walkable ports and easy to explore without an excursion if you want to save money. We spent the morning exploring Creek Street, the famous old brothel street built on stilts. It’s famous for attracting “fishing” bears but I’ll note that early June was too early for salmon and bears. We found a cute boutique called Elevens and I bought some locally roasted coffee at Raven’s Brew, as well as being tempted to buy more artwork at the many galleries along Creek Street. Tip: it is just over a quarter mile, about a 10-minute walk, from the ship to Creek Street, so a fairly easy walk if you’re able.
Later in the afternoon we caught the Lumberjack Show, which we booked via Holland. It’s campy in the way these things tend to be, but a cute hour of watching chopping competitions. There is a competition aspect pitting the US vs Canada and the audience is split in half, so be prepared for that.
On my other visits to Ketchikan, I’ve done fishing with wilderness dining where we have our caught fish (I’ve had rockfish and salmon) cooked and served to us and I highly recommend this excursion if you can handle the cost. Another extremely popular tour to book in Ketchikan is the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s tour where you get to go on a crab fishing boat, think Deadliest Catch, and taste crab as well as a great opportunity to see eagles as they toss the crab overboard.
That evening back onboard we had dinner at Pinnacle Grill, the ship’s steakhouse, which I would rank just behind Tamarind for the week. I’m not a big meat eater in general but the filet mignon was a nice treat to the week, and the clothesline candied bacon was oh so tasty!
Day 7: Victoria, BC, and a Look Back
Victoria has become a fairly predictable stop on Seattle-based Alaska cruises, largely because of the Jones Act, which requires foreign-flagged ships sailing between two US ports to stop at a foreign port along the way. That is the real reason Victoria shows up on so many of these itineraries. Lately these stops tend to be very late and very short, which understandably frustrates some passengers, and plenty of people just stay onboard rather than bother.
I love Victoria though, and if you are willing to make the trip into town, it is worth it. The Parliament Buildings are gorgeous lit up at night, and the historic Empress Hotel anchors the harbor.
The ship docks away from downtown, about a 1.5-mile walk to the main harbor area. We walked it both ways, and it was manageable, though a few of the streets in between were dark enough that we felt a little uneasy at a couple of points. We were fine the whole way, but it is worth knowing before you commit to walking it yourself, especially late at night.
If you would rather not walk, a shuttle bus runs for $15 per person, and they fill them up fast as soon as guests start disembarking. Taxis run somewhere between $15 and $20 but can be hard to flag down. We were surprised to see a lot of pedicabs in use too, which looked like a fun way to get around, though probably slower than a bus or taxi, and likely more of a guided mini tour than pure transportation.
I have visited Victoria before on the Victoria Clipper from Seattle and recently did a food tour there that I would happily recommend to anyone. There is actually a late-night food and sightseeing walk built specifically for cruise passengers that looks perfect for this kind of short evening stop, though it was already sold out by the time I checked for our sailing. If you would rather not wander on your own (and many shops are closed by the time these late stops happen), the Empress Hotel has a lovely bar, the Q, worth ducking into for a drink even if you don’t do much else downtown.
Earlier that day, the ship held City on the Sea, a behind-the-scenes look at how the ship actually operates, and Origin Story, a presentation from the Cruise and Travel Director on Holland America’s history. The Origin Story is something I’ve watched on my previous Holland America Alaska Cruise and it’s really a delightful look at how Holland ventured to Alaska before anyone else.
Day 8: Back to Seattle
We were back at the Seattle terminal early the next morning, bags out, and headed home by mid-morning. I find that east coast travelers always struggle with booking airfare from Seattle, and it’s generally recommended that you book flights after 12 pm. However, if you can carry off your own luggage first thing, aren’t checking bags, and have TSA precheck, I think you could do a 11 am flight no problem.
If you do have a later flight, I’d recommend grabbing a taxi to downtown and storing your luggage at a spot with Bounce depending on what you want to see. You could grab a food tour of Pike Place Market, go whale watching directly from downtown, or go up the Space Needle for a view over the city and sea.
And if you don’t have too many bags, check out my post about using the link light rail train as an affordable way from downtown Seattle to the airport to avoid traffic or high rideshare costs.
A Few Honest Notes
Holland’s Eurodam is an older ship, and it showed in a few small ways: WiFi struggled at times, the ship had more motion overnight than I have felt on newer stabilized ships, and our room, especially the bathroom, needed a major renovation, which is coming as part of Holland’s massive fleet evolution. I will say the smaller size ship was nice for Alaska and the dining room layout was my favorite over the pinnacle class ships, although I think they’re changing that as part of the renovation. These older and smaller ships can be a great way to save money on your Alaska cruise as well!
The Crow’s Nest was often hard to find seats since some guests seemed to camp out there for hours, especially during at sea days. None of it changed how much I enjoyed the week, but I think it’s worth giving you a heads up so you’re not suprised.
One of the areas that surprised me the most on the Eurodam was the library! It was a lovely open space with a LOT of books available to check out on an honor system. Holland is putting these nice libraries on many of their ships now, so it’s worth checking out.
Lastly, I found some of the main dining room meals to take a long time, almost as if we were forgotten by our servers. It was a bit frustrating to be honest. The specialty meals were all excellent service, but the main dining room had some issues for us during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The quick service options like the burgers and pizza were always easy to order via the app and go pick up – the Dive In burgers and fries were one of my favorites!
Should You Take a 7-day Roundtrip Alaska Cruise?
Without hesitation. If you want to see Alaska without the added cost and complication of a one-way cruise flights, this round-trip Seattle route is hard to beat. It suited us well as locals, and I would recommend it just as easily to anyone in the Pacific Northwest who would rather spend their vacation days on the water than in airports.
This was actually my second Holland America Alaska sailing. My first was on the Koningsdam, a 7-day round-trip itinerary out of Vancouver with my daughter. Both are round-trip cruises, but the real difference for US-based travelers is that Vancouver means crossing an international border and Seattle does not. Most cruise lines still recommend a passport for this kind of Seattle round trip cruise, but it is sometimes possible to sail without one since the itinerary starts and ends at the same US port. Here’s when you do and don’t need a passport for an Alaska cruise.
If you are still deciding whether an Alaska cruise is right for you, or which one, start with my Alaska cruise planning questions post, and if you want the full playbook, I put everything I know into my book, The Ultimate Guide to Alaska Cruises.
I have sailed Alaska almost a dozen times now and I still learn something new every trip. If you are trying to figure out which ship, cabin, or itinerary actually fits how you like to travel, that is exactly the kind of planning I help with as a travel advisor. If you want my help booking your Alaska cruise, fill out my form and I’ll help you sort through the options.
